Posted on Dec 29, 2006

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP)—Three more Marines and a soldier were killed in battle in Iraq, the military said Friday, making December the year’s deadliest month for U.S. troops with the toll reaching 108.

The Marines, all assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5, died Thursday of wounds from fighting in western Anbar province, the U.S. military said. The soldier was killed in Karmah Thursday by small arms fire, the military said. Separately, the family of another soldier said he died Wednesday in Texas of injuries suffered in Iraq.

Their deaths pushed the toll past the 105 U.S. service members killed in October. At least 2,997 members of the U.S. military have been killed since the Iraq war began in March 2003, according to an AP count. That count includes two soldiers the military has classified as Iraq casualties, but the AP has not confirmed as Iraq-related deaths.